The Queen & I Part 3 — Kansas City Star

Linda is recalling her experiences at the Queen Mary nightclub in Los Angeles. In its day the Queen Mary was the destination of choice for crossdressers from across America and around the world. This week Linda remembers meeting a man with a desire to ‘express his feminine self’. She convinces him that they should go shopping together to pick out just the right outfit for his first night ou and — guess what — Linda gets to model his choices.

‘It doesn’t get any better than this,’ I thought. It was a clear, warm March morning in Los Angeles. I was wearing a brand new one-piece bathing suit, lounging beside the pool at the Sherman Oaks Motel, sipping a freshly poured coffee and reading the day’s LA Times.

To add to my feeling of pleasure were the memories of a night before spent at the nearby Queen Mary Show Lounge, enjoying my renewed sense of femininity and the male attention I had been receiving. It also didn’t hurt that just the day before I had taken a flight out of a snowstorm back in Toronto.

“Good morning, beautiful.”

I looked up to see a man leaning over the motel’s second floor railing. Something looked a bit different but I recognized him. We’d met briefly the night before at the Queen Mary. At that time I only knew that he was a businessman in town from the mid-west. He had given me the impression that he had a very personal interest in crossdressing. He liked to dress in private but had never gone out in public. I had even chided him that he should give it a try but that his mustache would be a dead giveaway.

His mustache? “That’s it; he’s shaved off his mustache!” I thought to myself.

“Yes, it is a beautiful morning,” I replied in as feminine voice as I could muster to project over that distance. “Would you like to join me?”

“Sure would.” I loved that matter-of-fact western drawl.

“Get a coffee in the lobby and sit and relax a spell,” I teased. While I waited for him to get his coffee I took the opportunity to check my makeup and see that my cleavage was visible but the breast forms were not.

As James pulled up a chair I asked, “What are you doing here? I thought you were staying down by LAX?”

“Last night after we talked I decided that I wanted to return to the club tonight so it made no sense to go all the way back to my hotel. I just checked in here. I remember you recommending it.”

“That’s neat. It’s nice to see you but you look a little different?”

“I know what you mean. I’ve worn a mustache for a very long time but you were right. I wouldn’t be very passable if I were to go out as Jamie. Besides, my wife really doesn’t like the mustache. She will be happy that I have shaved it off and will think I did it for her.”

“Take the points where you can get them, I always say,” I advised.

James continued, “As we talked last night I realized that I’d been fighting my feminine side for way too long and that the mustache was my strongest tool to keep ‘Jamie’ in check. Tonight Jamie gets to win!”

I looked at him thoughtfully. I took a sip on my coffee but ‘that’s great’ was all I said. It was a time to let James/ Jamie do the talking. He went on to reveal in some detail that he’d had certain urges since childhood, had fought to hold them back and for the most part he’d been successful. However recently he’d acquired lingerie, a pair of high heels and a wig which he kept hidden at home but came with him on the road when he traveled.

“You will have some work to do to get ready for tonight,” I said, in a matter of fact manner.

“That’s for sure,” came the reply, “I’ve just made an appointment with Jim Bridges for 6 p.m. He’s going to do a makeover and style my wig for me and sell me some clothes.”

“Jim’s definitely the one to see. He’s turned more than a few Prince Charmings in to Cinderellas.” Then I had a quick thought, “I’m going over to Glendale Galleria this afternoon. Why don’t you come with me and pick out some outfits there. You will have a better selection than at Jim’s and for sure the price will be better.”

“It’s taking all my nerve just to go to the Queen Mary. No way could I go out to a mall.”

“Come as you are. We could be a couple out shopping together. That works better for me and we are probably about the same size so if you saw something you liked I could try it on and model it for you.”

“That’s a great idea,” he replied. “Let’s go.”

“Even better,” I said. “That way you can buy us lunch at the mall.”

“That too! How soon can you be ready?”

It took me less than half an hour to be changed in to a skirt and blouse, sandals and a fresh coat of war paint. James was going to drive. By the time I was ready he had the car pointed out toward Ventura Blvd. As we drove I gave him directions and talked about my ideas for our shopping. First we would eat and then we’d cruise though Macy’s, JC Penney and a few of the larger stores.

“What kind of outfits are you thinking to get?” I asked.

“Well, mostly I’d like to watch you shop. I can’t buy too much but I’m thinking of a cocktail dress for tonight. If we find the right dress I’d like you to try it on for me.”

“We could go to the Jessica McClintock boutique but that might be a little pricey.  I know another store you might like. They carry a lot of prom type dresses and every little black dress imaginable.”

“The only thing is whatever style I get it has to have a high neckline. I’m able to shave my mustache but my wife would really be suspicious if I came home with no chest hair.”

“Good point but that won’t be a problem.” We arrived and parked at the mall. I steered James in to the California Kitchen restaurant for a late breakfast/ early lunch. The Galleria was just starting to fill up. After our meal we made our way through several stores as I tried on outfits. I enjoyed seeing James get quietly excited as I came out of the fitting room to model my choices. However he was strangely reticent about making choices for himself. I was concerned he was getting cold feet.

“What’s the matter, Hon? Don’t you like anything?” I asked.

“I love it too much. I’m afraid that if I ask you to try anything I’ll want to buy it. I can’t take a lot of stuff home.”

“My guess is that your wife is not a size 14 like us?”

“No way: She’s quite small.”

“But you still do want to get a dress for tonight?”

“Definitely.”

“Okay, let’s go.” I grabbed my boyfriend-for-a-day’s hand and headed him toward Special Occasions. The boutique carried a wide range of short and long dresses in a wide price and style range.

“Hi there, can I help you?” the sales clerk smiled as we entered the otherwise empty store.

“We’re just looking right now.”

“Feel free. Just let me know if I can help. Are you looking for something for an Oscar party?” she said referring to the big movie awards night which at that time was held near the end of March. She could have just as easily said, ‘are you looking for something for a drag pageant?’ but she knew better and I loved her for it.

“Something like that, yes?” I replied.

“Just let me know if I can help. My name is Mandy.”

In the meantime James had his eyes and hands all over the sales rack. The image of a kid in a candy store came to mind. “See anything you like?”

“I’m not sure. What should I be looking for?”

“Well you are right to select the discount rack. Look for dresses that are size 14 or maybe 12 and I would suggest that with your eyes a nice blue would look great. I’ll try on anything you want, “I said as I hugged his arm as seductively as I could.” Mandy and I smiled and winked at each other.

“What about these?’ I asked. I had lifted a blue and gold beaded dress with a high neck line and long sleeves, a similar red dress and a low cut black number with an empire waist.

“Not the black dress, for sure, but maybe the others.”

“The black one is for me!” I took the dresses to the fitting room while James waited in the store. I knew he would be looking at the wide selection of dresses so I didn’t hurry to change. I emerged first wearing the red dress then the black and finally wearing the blue and gold dress. It was my favorite and looking at James’ face I could see it was his, too.

“What do you think?” I asked.

“Very pretty,” came the reply. “Let’s get it.” I like shopping en femme but I still loved the man’s way of quickly coming to a purchase decision.

“We’ll take it,” I told Mandy. Turning to James I said, “you might as well give her your credit card now.” I turned so Mandy could remove the price tag then withdrew to the fitting room once more.

In the few hours I’d known James I had learned he was not a very expressive person but on this occasion he was literally beaming. Mandy must have suspected why this man was so obviously happy to be buying his friend a dress. However she played it straight to the end. “Have fun at the party,” she offered as we left the store.

We wasted no time returning to the Sherman Oaks. James wanted desperately to try on his new dress and I wanted to see him in it. I lounged by the pool while he changed, waiting for him to summon me to his room.  As I waited I thought of what a great experience it had been to be shopping with a man to keep me company. No matter how much I think I fit in when sopping en femme I still am very conscious that others may be watching and judging me. Not so when I was with James. He was my companion and protector. I had a feeling of others being far less judgemental of me. I reflected that I may have helped James but he had been equally helpful to me.

Finally the summons came. I mounted the stairs and walked down the balcony to his room. It was not James who opened the door but Jamie. She looked surprisingly good even without makeup. She had on a nice wig, reasonable heels and our lovely blue dress. “You look awesome!” I offered, “but wait until Jim Bridges finishes with you. You will really be turning heads tonight.”

“Thanks Linda. But speaking of Bridges, I’d better be getting over there.”

That almost ends my participation in this Cinderella story. Jamie had her makeover. I saw her at the Queen Mary later that evening but she spent her time with friends she had met at Jim Bridges. We chatted briefly but I left her to the good time she was having. I spent most of my time with Joanie, Janine and Sandi, my circle of friends at the Queen. When I left for the evening Jamie was still going strong and looking pretty nice in her new blue dress. I remember thinking to myself that she was probably going to find it difficult to come down to reality on her return home.

The next day I was up early to play a game of golf. When I returned to the motel there was a package hanging on my door. In it was a note and Jamie’s dress. I still have the note to this day. I found it recently. It read:

Linda,

Thank you for guiding me to one of the most wonderful evenings of my life. I will remember it and you for a long time. You are a true friend so I want you to have this dress to remember me. For me, it is time to return to reality.

Hugs,

Jamie

That was the last I ever saw or heard of Jamie or James. It was not the last I ever thought of our day together.  The dress? It stayed with me for many years. See for yourself:

Linda wears the dress.

Tags: crossdressing, featured, Out & About

Category: Transgender Fun & Entertainment